Improvement in signal-lanterns



j. GRAHAM.

Signal Lantern l No. 85,004. Patented Dec. 15, 41868.

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JOI-IN GRAHAM, OF GRAFTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No. 85,004, lated December 15, 1868.

IMPRover/.univrvA :N SIGNAL-LANTERNS. adhv- The Schedule referred to inthese Ii'ett'ers vPatent and making part of the same.

To all lwhom it may concernI Be it known that I, J ons GRAHAM, ofGrafton, in

the county of Taylor, and State of IVest Virginia, have invented a newand improved Signal-Lantern; and'I Figure 2 is a horizontal section,through the line x x of fig. l:

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, cheap, andconvenient signal-lamp for railroad-use.

The use of the lamps heretofore employed upon railroads, for signallingat night, is attended with many inconveniences, which have rendered itdesirable to nd an instrument more completely adapted to such purposes.

, First, their parts are easily dislocated bythe jar of the engine, sothat their accidental breaking is a matter of frequent occurrence. Y

Secondly, the light passing from them on every side, it is necessary toemploy several lamps to give the several signals required, and, ingeneral practice, two lamps are actually carried for each signal thathas .to be made.

Thirdly, their light is easily extinguished by gusts of wind, and withdifh'culty relighted; and

Foulthly, they being of common form and construction, and adapted to useelsewhere than on railroads,

and for any ordinary purposes, they are frequently stolen.

These several evils are believed to be overcomfby the lantern which Iwill now describe, and which has been in practical. use, for severalmonths, on one of the principal raih'oads of the country, and has beenfound to possess all the advantages anticipated from it.

A represents the base of the lantern, and

B, a short vertical cylinder, firmly ailixed to and supported by thebase, and provided with a socket, to receive and hold the lamp C.

To the upper end of the part B, a square or polyhedral frame, D, isattached, having glass windows, IV XV, on some of its sides or faces,the outer sides s s being blank or opaque.

The windows may be of as many different colors as is required, and maybe changeable, at pleasure, the panes of glass being held in position bycleats, c a, behind which they slide up and down, so that the work ofinserting or removing them can be easily and almost instantaneouslyperformed.

The opaqueI sides may be provided with sockets of a similar character,to receive and hold the spare panes of glass required to vary thesignals, and such spare panes, when thus held in their sockets, may beprothrough the covering, in order thatv the glass may be readily pushedup, so as to be grasped by the hand when required for use. v

Into such a lantern, the air necessary for combustion ils suppliedthrough horizontal pipes, I I, arranged along the door of the lantern,or the top of the cylinder B, or tln'ough holes m m, made in the floorof the case I), outside ofthe rim of the part B.

The tubes are preferable for the purpose, inasmuch as they do notdirectly throw the air lupon the dame of the lamp, and therefore protectthe latter from being extinguished by a sudden gust ot' wind,

The chamber D is surmonnted by a cylindrical dome, E, into which theheated air from the chamber rises through-a tapering flue, F, and adeilector, G, is placed above the flue, and supported by standards g g.

The hot air escapes from the sides of the dome through.V apertures -n n,while the cone F and deflector. G prevent gusts of wind fromextinguishing the ilame from the upper end of the lantern. y

A handle or-bail, H, is attached to the dome.

The lamp is a small clipper-shaped vessel, having a handle, by which toinsert or remove it, and having a fiat-wick tube, J, provided withopenings in the side,

vthrough which a pin may be inserted, to pick up or lower the wick,without removing the lamp fromthe lantern.

` The whole instrument is made ot' tin, strengthened, if necessary, bywires, as in any tin-ware. It can thus be made at very little expense,while it is light, neat in appearance, and very strong and durable. Itsparts are so put together, as above' explained, that all danger of theirdislocation or destruction, bythe jar of the engine, is avoided. g

The lanteln is of such a form and character that it is notserviceablqfor any other purpose than tha-t for which it is intended tobe used, and hence is in less danger of being stolen than the oldlanterns.

Its advantages over the old ones, in point of economy, convenience,duc., in enabling almost any number of signals to be'made with a singlelantern, will not need further explanation.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A signal-lantern, provided with sockets on the blank sides, covered orotherwise, to receive a-nd hold thespare glasses, substantially asdescribed.

lo the above spcciiication of my improvement, Il

have signed my hand, this Jth day of September, ISGSJ JOHN GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

J OHN T. LATHAM, H. H. GUSEMAN..

